Ranked in the top ten schools of social policy by US News & World Report, the Heller School For Social Policy and Management is proud to also be a leader in providing financial assistance awarded to AmeriCorps alumni. Whatever cause you are committed to – ending poverty, improving health policy, protecting the environment, spurring community development, resolving conflict or protecting the rights of women, children and minorities -- Heller's unique interdisciplinary approach will prepare you for a fulfilling career finding solutions to society's most pressing social problems.

Each AmeriCorps alum who is admitted to Heller will receive a guaranteed $10,000 Service Scholarship. We will also match your Segal Education Award for up to two years of service, regardless of whether or not you’ve used it. We also award one or more full-tuition scholarships to AmeriCorps alumni annually.

"The Heller "Forever Family" has made my MBA/MPP experience incredible. The faculty, staff, and students all have this great commitment to improving the world and to building the Heller community. It's amazing to be surrounded and supported by such a population of highly intelligent, dedicated, and welcoming people."

Wikipedia states that a social enterprise "is an organization that applies commercial strategies to maximize improvements in human and environmental well-being, rather than maximizing profits for shareholders.” I would describe a social enterprise as a business or organization that has double bottom line—making money and making the world a better place.

Social enterprise appeals to me because I believe that making a difference is not only about occasionally volunteering, but also making that behavior a life-style. The world has numerous problems, but there are even more innovative solutions. My term as an AmeriCorps scholar involved hours in classrooms. I saw firsthand how education molds minds and the creative nature in which information can be shared. My passion for innovative teaching led me to my current job in marketing and communications.

I work for Wikisway, a user driven platform that "illuminates connections between people, places, and things” through data visualization. Wikisway's social impact is making information palatable. Knowledge is a powerful tool that encourages progress; yet, it's difficult to access and/or understand. However, a visual representation of the information makes connections easier to explore. The platform also allows users to add their own connections and utilize social media.

A lot of businesses have a social mission but don't explicitly state it—if you want to know, ask! Finding your way into a social enterprise involves researching potential employers; seeing if their products and services are socially driven and if you'd want to be a part of that work.

AmeriCorps builds a valuable set of skills that are desired in a broad array of careers, but translating those skills onto a resume can often be a challenge.

Here are three tips to make your service experiences more work-place relevant:

Research the particular industry to which you are applying. Incorporate relevant terminology that could help you get noticed, especially for companies who employ search engine optimization to identify resumes that contain certain keywords. For example you might consider translating the term "neighborhood community outreach," to "customer service expertise."

Be quantitative. Companies are results-driven so try to best identify measurable results of success. For instance, instead of saying "managed school-wide fundraising campaign that provided under-resourced students the opportunity to attend science and math camp," think about saying "managed school-wide fundraising campaign that raised over $12,000 that provided funding for 24 students to attend science and math camp."

Have a peer review your resume. There are 1000s of alumni of AmeriCorps who are working in the same field of your interest. Joining the AmeriCorps Alums LinkedIn group and getting engaged in your local chapter are two ways to identify a peer reviewer.

Thanks to Nicole Trimble, a 2012 AmeriCorps Alums White House Champion for Change, who is the Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Coinstar/Red Box. Her comments at the AmeriCorps Alums Day at the White House on August 17, 2012 inspired this column and you can read her White House blog post here.

Our October Professional Development Webinar will be centered on attaining a professional mentor. Studies have shown that mentoring plays a significant role in career advancement, and professionals who have had a mentor earn more than professionals without a mentor. But many of you might be wondering how to start a mentor relationship. In this month’s professional development webinar, we will concentrate on keys to identifying and approaching a mentor, how to most effectively utilize your mentor, and appropriate mentor/mentee etiquette. To register for this event, please click here.